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Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT Station
Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT Station is an interchange station serving the Choa Chu Kang area of Singapore. It is part of the North South Line and the terminus for the Bukit Panjang LRT Line. The station is next to the Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and the Lot One, serving residents in the town centre and the southern and central part of Choa Chu Kang. Currently, the LRT platforms are the only ones to use the Spanish solution, and is the second rail station to use such a configuration after Sentosa station on Sentosa Express. It is one of the three stations to be fully elevated, the others are Tanah Merah and Jurong East which do not have any underground lines. History The MRT station was opened on 10 March 1990. Previously, it was the terminus of the Branch Line. With the opening of the North South Line Woodlands Extension on 10 February 1996, the branch line was incorporated into the North South Line. Terminating facilities for Marina Bay-bound trains are still present. The LRT station opened on 6 November 1999, on the opening day of the Bukit Panjang LRT line. The station was third one to have an Xchange, making the station the first to have an Xchange above-ground and in a residential neighbourhood. Platform screen doors were installed since 26 August 2011 and commenced operation on 21 October 2011. Improvements On 31 October 2012, LTA announced that Choa Chu Kang LRT Station will have two more platforms, specifically for commuters to exit the trains to allow the existing platform in the centre to have more space to cater to boarding passengers. There will also be additional fare gates and a new covered linkway from the LRT station to Lot 1 Shopping Mall. These new additions which also include widening the staircase between the MRT and the LRT stations will be completed by 2016. The two newly constructed platforms opened service on 27 December 2016. The two new side platforms, Platform 5 and Platform 6, lacks lift access so passengers who need to take the lift when alighting have to wait for the doors to open at the island platform at platform 3 and 4, where lift access is available. Stickers to remind passengers to exit at Platform 3 and 4 if they need to take a lift to the exit is located at all the LRT doors. Platforms Two new side platforms are being constructed at Choa Chu Kang LRT station. The new Platforms 3 and 4 will be used for alighting only, thereby freeing up the existing island platform (Platforms 1 and 2) solely for boarding activities. The segregation of boarding and alighting passengers speeds up the movement of commuters, which is very useful for a interchange station like Choa Chu Kang with heavy passenger movement. This arrangement is also known as the Spanish Solution. They will be opened on 27 December 2016. Commuters travelling on the Bukit Panjang LRT system can look forward to faster boarding, alighting and transfers to the MRT, as two newly constructed platforms at Choa Chu Kang LRT Station will begin operations from 27 December 2016. LTA had earlier announced the construction of the new platforms in 2012, and upgrading works began in September 2013. The new platforms will not be equipped with lifts, hence passengers in need of lifts may have to alight at Platforms 1 and 2 for lift access, as the design life for the Bukit Panjang LRT does not last after 20 years. Commuters who are using the lift must use the existing platform. There will be no lifts in the new platforms, as the design life for the Bukit Panjang LRT does not last after 20 years. Commuters who are using the lift must use the existing platform. Construction of the adjacent two platforms posed a major problem because of the limited time and space, and also due to the live tracks near to Choa Chu Kang MRT Station. Work had to be done outside the operating hours from 1am to 4.30am and there was no noise problems from HDB flats. The new Creation of Rights ensures that any renovation work to Lot One must not hit through the live Bukit Panjang LRT tracks. This station installed with MJ Air Tech High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) Pro-Jet fans and commenced operations on 10 October 2012. The LRT station also features HVLS fans as of 27 September 2015. Concourse Both the North South Line and the Bukit Panjang LRT have a common concourse at the ground level. The main ticket concourse is located underneath the platforms, with stairs leading to the mezzanine level for passengers transferring between lines. To improve the commuting experience, LTA has carried out enhancement work at Choa Chu Kang Station. It includes new fare gates entrances onto the Exit D and Exit E. The transfer staircase was widened to ease congestion, and Exit E is not for the babies and disabled. Exit E was opened on 1 July 2015. Station layout Exits Passenger Usage Patterns As an interchange station in the heart of the Choa Chu Kang town centre, Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station is well-utilized by commuters living in the estate, or heading to various amenities in the vicinity such as Lot One Shoppers’ Mall, Choa Chu Kang Centre, Choa Chu Kang Public Library and Community Club @ Keat Hong (U/C). This station also serves plenty of transfer commuters between both rail lines, as the North South Line connects to other parts of the island, while the Bukit Panjang LRT provides the final connection to within walking distance of most of the estate’s residential apartments. Transport connections Rail References Category:Choa Chu Kang Category:Railway stations opened in 1990 Category:Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) stations Category:Light Rail Transit (Singapore) stations